"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
I think this was Teddy Roosevelt...the Progressive bastard. But I find the quote inspirational.
As a local Liberty Movement "leader", I worry about making mistakes, about screwing up—about looking stupid and as clueless as I sometimes feel. But this makes me realize that sometimes mistakes are the result of "daring greatly" rather than just being a garden variety fuck up.
And that's an eye-opening, soul-healing, confidence-building, self-esteem generating, very big deal!
And I have to thank Bob W. who took the time to send it to me so I'd learn that very lesson.
The Gunslinger
hi Gunslinger...
ReplyDeleteyou might like this:
Daily Beast columnist Christopher Buckley procured an early draft of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union speech. He's calling it "The Audacity of Oops".
teaser: "I can further report that Secretary Napolitano has come up with an ingenious plan to prevent a recurrence of the Christmas bombing attempt. From now on, all planes flying into the United States will carry not air marshals but Dutch artists. For we now know that when it comes to disabling well-born Nigerians attempting to detonate their underpants, Dutch artists are proven first-responders.
Meanwhile, we must, and will, continue to strip-search 82-year-old white, Protestant grandmothers and 2-year-olds, lest we annoy the tender sensibilities of Muslim countries that practice, among other time-honored religious rituals, genital mutilation of young women, live burial of homosexuals, and stoning and beheading of adulterous women. God forbid we should upset them. We’re Americans. We’re better than that."
Enjoy:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-25/the-audacity-of-oops/
I think it's God's call to us all to 'dare greatly'. And if we fall flat, we just wipe off the muck we fell into and try again. And we might just feel the tender hand of God helping us up.
ReplyDeleteAll of us speaking out against this administration's tyrannical policies had a hand in Scott Brown's victory, but God was the power behind us. To Him be the glory.
GS,
ReplyDeleteYou are right when you quoted Teddy R.
As far as progressive bastard.. hmm, I might disagree. You really ought to read a couple of his biographies...
He was his own man. He was the one who brought the idea of American Exceptional-ism to the forefront of American Politics. Granted he had some policies that were high jacked and turned against him..
But he cleaned up new york... modernized the American navy, fought the big elitist political machine and truly believed that Americas strength lay in the freedom and opportunity of the individual.
I know he is credited with starting the "progressive" movement in America... but "his" progressiveness was not socialistic... and the term has been co-opted by liberals today. He fought the political machine in a manner that is very Palin like. The Elites hated TR Rex. Check him out ..
Just saying...
Take care and keep up the good fight.
Your Friend
Bill Henry